Hi guys,

I'm stumped on how to make smart objects work for me in PS. Here's the deal:

I'm working for a toy company and it seems like a great thing to make various images of products smart objects so I can use them in catalogues, brochures, packaging, etc. and be able to scale them non-destructively and change the master anytime I want and thus change all the dependent files.

What is confusing me is how to create an intelligent workflow.

I have my original TIFF I'll call toy.tiff.

I then have created a toy.psd with the background around the item deleted and several adjustment layers added.

I'd like to make this a smart object and use it in package.psd. Sooo, I select all the layers of toy.psd and select LAYER > SMART OBJECT > GROUP INTO NEW SMART OBJECT. I get the appropriate demarcation in my layers palette.

I then drag this (what I think is a smart object) into package.psd but if I make changes to toy.psd after I drag it into package.psd no changes are updated on package.psd. So I doubleclick on the smart object layer on package.psd and a new file opens... A .psb file. So I'm assuming this has become the ACTUAL Smart Object. But what's not clear is how/where it's stored (they seem to live in some temporary items folder), how to best access them assuming they are informing several documents, what a smart workflow is, how the files are named and integrated with Version Cue.

Is it me or is this insanely confusing?

I've looked for info online but most all information about smart objects refers to importing Illustrator files which I'm not concerned with at this time.

I'm ready to bag the whole idea of using Smart Object in PS unless someone can help bring some clarity to the whole process.

Thanks a million for your help with this,

Fudo

Fudo

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